attune

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to make someone receptive or sensitive to a situation, idea, need, or signal, often used as be attuned to

   Years of fieldwork attuned her to subtle changes in the forest's sounds.

2. 2
   verb

   to bring people, things, or qualities into harmony or agreement

   The reforms were intended to attune local policy to national standards.

3. 3
   verb

   to tune a musical instrument or adjust it to a desired pitch

   The musician attuned the strings before the ceremony began.

Formed in early modern English from at- (a form of ad-, "to") + tune, literally "bring into tune." The musical meaning broadened naturally to bringing minds, behavior, or systems into harmony and to making a person sensitive to something.

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